My alpacas arrived! What now?

Some things to watch for

Make sure they are peeing and pooping. If they are straining to go pee, they could be dehydrated from the trip. Offer water immediately. You can electrolyte the water or offer both options. If they don’t drink, you can dilute Gatorade with water about 50/50 and syringe it in their mouth in a pinch. I prefer using the product Bounce Back. Let them swallow. Poop can be too dry, just right, clumpy, loose and super runny. If it looks a bit dry-good chance they are dehydrated. If clumpy and not beans, keep a close eye on them. Sometimes it’s just the stress and it will resolve. You can give them a probios paste to help them. If it is loose or super runny, check her general condition and temp. Give her probios and check her appetite. If she has appetite, you can watch her closely for 24 hours. If she lacks appetite, call the vet immediately.

Many animals will be nervous and stressed in their new environment. It’s good to give them space and time to get used to their new environment and family. You can talk to them and work calmly around them. Try to avoid having too many visitors if you can in the first two weeks. If you have visitors, make sure the alpacas have some space to feel safe. Introduce your other family pets slowly, especially dogs. It is usually best to have dogs on leash with a fence in between so they can get used to each other.

FOOD- for the first week or two, keep their diet the same as they were prior to arriving on your farm. After that, you can slowly adjust by mixing the new food in with the one they are used to. They have sensitive stomachs and sudden diet changes can cause serious problems. Also, pasture grasses will be different. You will need to limit their time out in pasture initially so they won’t get sick and then gradually increase.